49ers' David Akers' kicking trials

Updated 11:33 pm, Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

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ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 20: Kicker David Akers #2 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he misses a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game at the Georgia Dome on January 20, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) less

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 20: Kicker David Akers #2 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after he misses a 38-yard field goal in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship game at the ... more

Photo: Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images

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David Akers' 52-yard try against the Giants missed to the left. Of his past eight non-blocked misses, seven have gone to the left.

David Akers' 52-yard try against the Giants missed to the left. Of his past eight non-blocked misses, seven have gone to the left.

Photo: Jason O. Watson, Getty Images

49ers' David Akers' kicking trials

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As a longtime NFL special-teams coach and kicking consultant, Gary Zauner learned the path of a kicker's missed field-goal tries can offer a window to his psyche.

The 49ers' David Akers is a left-footed kicker who keeps pushing field-goal attempts to the left. Zauner's analysis: Akers' problem could have more to do with his head than his leg.

"Pushing it left could be because he's getting a little tentative," Zauner said. "That's what happens with guys that usually push the ball. They're so worried about missing that they don't kick it like they do in practice because the brain gets involved in the kick.

"Generally speaking, most kickers that have missed big kicks a lot of times just block them out and don't finish the kick."

In Sunday's NFC Championship Game, Akers had a 38-yard field-goal attempt clang off the left upright. In San Francisco's regular-season finale, he pushed attempts of 40 and 44 yards left. Of his past eight missed attempts (not including blocked kicks), seven have drifted left. In contrast, his first three non-blocked misses this season were wide right.

Akers, who entered 2012 with a career field-goal percentage of 82.2, has made 64.1 percent of his kicks since Week 2.

Despite his season-long struggles, head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that Akers, 38, would be San Francisco's kicker in the Super Bowl. Zauner, a special-teams coach for 13 seasons with the Vikings (1994-2001), Ravens (2002-05) and Cardinals (2006), supports that decision based on Akers' 15-year track record.

During his career, Zauner, 61, worked with Minnesota's Gary Anderson and Baltimore's Matt Stover, who rank second and fifth, respectively, in field goals made in NFL history. Akers, a six-time Pro Bowler, ranks 11th.

Zauner believes that Akers struggles could have originated with an injury.

"David Akers has been one of the all-time great kickers in the league," Zauner said. "And he went from a Pro Bowl to this. Most guys that have been around as long as he has, it's got to be more an injury thing than anything else."

Indeed, Akers underwent double sports-hernia surgery in February and dealt with complications from the procedure after falling in practice a few weeks before a win against the Saints on Nov. 25. Following that game, Akers flew to Philadelphia and received injections. He then spent nearly a month on the injury report with a pelvis injury.

On Tuesday, Zauner, a kicking consultant with the Bears in 1992, recalled how a hip injury caused Chicago's Kevin Butler to alter the swing of his leg, which led to a prolonged slump. Zauner noted how injuries to kickers can trigger a snowball effect. Injuries can mess with their mechanics, which eventually can mess with their heads.

"An injury can cause a swing change, which can cause misses, which can cause a kicker to get tentative and question himself," Zauner said. "Kickers miss kicks. But the more they miss, the more is said and written. The best thing a kicker can do is have amnesia, but it's not easy."

Akers, who hasn't been on the injury report since late December, is presumably healthy. He won a recent practice competition with Billy Cundiff, a Pro Bowl pick in 2010, for the right to kick in the postseason. On Sunday, he was near-perfect in pregame warm-ups. In the game, though, his 38-yard attempt caromed off the top of the left upright with the 49ers trailing 24-21.

Zauner believes Akers eventually will conquer whatever mental demons that could be dogging him. The 49ers, of course, are hoping that happens before their final game of the season.

"If he's hitting balls good in practice, that's a good sign," Zauner said. "If anyone can turn it around, he's got all those years of kicking in the league. I'd rather have him than some new guy. That's for sure."

A wide load

David Akers has made 30 of 44 field-goal attempts this season, including the playoffs.

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